Promise
by molly0rose
Summary: He won't let me leave." Edward's eyes hardened. "He will, and you will be safe." Life isn't at all what Bella thought it would be, so when Edward comes, how is she supposed to change it? Better than sounds. All human. B/E, but Jake has a role.
1. Chapter 1

I sighed and turned out the bathroom light, finished with trying to erase what I hated so much

I sighed and turned out the bathroom light, finished with trying to erase what I hated so much.

I made my way downstairs after throwing on a sweatshirt, I wanted to see nothing that would remind me, not right now, not when I was free for the first time in weeks.

The note hung clear on the fridge, he'd be gone for the next few days, back to the reservation to see Sam and Emily, be there when she gave birth. I would have gone, but he was too ashamed, of what I wasn't sure.

Was it that he really felt horrible about losing his temper with me? About leaving those marks, those bruises that drove him to sleep on the couch? Or was he really ashamed because of what I did.

Because of what I lost?

I stopped in the middle of the kitchen and closed my eyes, trying to draw my mind back, away from that. I couldn't think of that, I wouldn't get up ever again if I did. Instead I opened the fridge and looked around; mentally making a list of the things I would need to pick up. I had the next few days to myself; I smiled as I raced upstairs and grabbed my stash from my hidden sock. I had left over money still from when I fist moved to Forks, money that would have gone into a car, had Charlie not had one for me. It turned out great though, I had money for my drawing supplies, and since Jake would be gone, I could buy it without him getting angry with me.

Suddenly my day was brighter; I grabbed my wallet and keys and raced out the door.

The truck roared to life, growling as I threw it in reverse and waited for the moving van that was passing to leave enough room for me to back out.

Who ever was driving seemed to notice me and pulled forward, letting me pass. I waved my hand out the window, not bothering to make sure they saw, I was too excited for that.

I smiled to myself as I drove to the next town, I was free.

I barely made it back through my front door before I dropped the food bags in the kitchen, hurrying to put them all away. It seemed to take ages, but there were only so many bags, and when they were all put away I headed towards the last paper bag sitting on the table.

I pulled out the new sketch book, marveling at the textured clean paper. I grabbed out the pack of drawing pencils and charcoal, not able to decide which I wanted to use, leaving the rest of the supplies in the bag. I would go through the rest later; right now there was a spot on my porch with my name on it.

I grabbed a bottled water on my way out and settled onto the porch swing that Jake had put in just after we moved here.

It was one of the few things he'd ever done for me really.

I loved this spot though; it was perfect to draw from. The entire forest waited for me just beyond the house a crossed from me.

It was then that I realized what was going a crossed the street.

The moving van that had been coming down the street this morning was now sitting along the curb of that abandoned house that lay just beyond.

It was my favorite house, it was a classic.

Well, if it were restored.

Originally, that was the house I wanted Jake and I to buy, but when he saw it, he said no.

Flat out no.

At the time he convinced me it was because it was no place to have a baby, but now I knew better.

It was never about the baby.

To see that some one was now moving in brought back old feelings, a restlessness that I had thought I tamed.

Being with Jake had brought that out in me, I was never really happy with him.

I knew that now.

Too bad it was too late.

The old wooden carved door of the house opened, I couldn't help myself.

I watched, wanting nothing more than to see who would be living in my dream house. Maybe a family or a young couple who fell in love with it as I had.

What I saw though, was nothing that I would have imagined.

I could have never imagined perfection in that god like form.

Even over the distance, I could see the tall lean figure as he stepped out onto the wrap around porch.

I watched in awe as he took the steps two at a time, the sun glinting off his strange bronze colored hair and somewhat paled skin. He'd kept his head down as he'd walked down the drive, out to the moving truck, but now that he was out in the street, he lifted his face.

I gasped.

I had been wrong.

Gods would pale in comparison to this face.

I had to remind myself to breath as I watched him for a moment.

It wasn't long however, before he felt my stares, and looked up at me.

Piercing forest emerald eyes stared back at me.

I knew my face was blank, but my mind and heart were anything but.

Racing, pounding, and for the first time, alive.

We watched each other for a while, but soon enough I realized I was staring and I looked down, not needing to see my face to know that I was beat red.

I looked down at my sketch book, the clear page waiting for me, and I could only see his face on it.

I smiled and took the charcoal as I set to work, letting my hand work over the page, to bring back the perfection I'd just seen.

"How is everything there? Bella?"

I sighed as I worked on dinner, even though it was just me, I still liked to cook.

"Good."

Jake had said he'd call if he got the chance.

Not when, if.

Apparently he had, since he was now talking to me.

I wondered if Sam was there, or Emily.

Maybe that's why he sounded like he cared all the sudden.

After last week, our fight, he lost his temper, and since, he hasn't looked twice at me.

"That's good, I'm sorry you couldn't come down with me. Emily misses you."

Yes, someone was there with him.

I played along anyway, even though on my end, all there was were the sweet memories of who he used to be.

"I miss her too, give her my love."

"I will, I gotta go Bells, love you."

I opened my mouth to say the words that had long ago lost their meaning, but nothing came out. I tried again, and my words surprised me.

"I know."

"Bye."

His tone was soft, I knew that I'd just hurt him.

I hung up the phone, wondering if he realized that he'd hurt me too.

My mind started to wonder over those first few months that we were together when the soft knocking came to my attention.

My head snapped in the direction of the front door as I grabbed a towel and made my way out of the kitchen and down the hall, towards my old doors.

They desperately needed to be resealed, Jake wouldn't touch them though.

Maybe I would do that too.

My thoughts revolved around the door as I opened it, and of course, I opened the door still paying attention to it, so I didn't notice the man in front of me right away.

My eyes racked over the front, yes, it definitely needed to be resealed, restrained too.

"Good evening."

The musical sound that spoke drew my attention, and my gasp was barely contained.

It was him, the man who I'd stared at earlier.

My blush came back and I looked down, wiping my hands as I spoke.

"Hello."

I heard a quiet chuckle before he spoke, but when he did, a polite tone surprised me.

"My name is Edward Cullen; I just moved a crossed the street."

I looked up at him, then past to the house, my dream house.

I smiled and nodded, pulling my mind from the past.

"Bella Swan, it's a beautiful house, I hope you restore it someday."

His smile surprised me, it was real.

Even if it was crooked, it still stole my breath.

Men like him shouldn't be allowed to talk to plain people, it just wasn't fair.

I looked up at him, noticing for the first time that his eyes were green.

A deep emerald green.

"That is my plan, yet I seemed to misjudge the extent of what needs to be repaired." He laughed.

My eyes shot up to his face again, in his perfection, I was amazed.

This was bad.

I forced out my voice.

"Ex-excuse me?"

He smiled as he stared back down at me.

"I'm afraid that the electric needs work, as well as the plumbing. Unfortunately, these details were over looked."

Comprehension lit in my mind and my eyes widened as I spoke.

"Oh!"

He smiled.

"I was wondering if it would be possible to use your phone. My cell died during the day, I need to make a call."

I nodded.

"Sure, come in."

I stepped aside to let him in and close the door, glad that I was a neat freak. He waited for me to take the lead and I hurried into the kitchen, grabbing the cordless phone out of the cradle and turned to hand it to him.

It was in my haste that I over looked the fact that I, Isabella Swan, can not walk a crossed a flat surface with tripping.

I let out a yelp as I realized that I was about to fall.

But that was not what happened.

Instead of falling to the ground, I fell into a chest, and arms.

Another musical chuckle sounded as Edward stood, smiling down at me.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

My cheeks burning with color.

He shook his head and placed his hands on my arms as he helped me right myself. I tried to keep in my wail of pain when he touched my arms, but a small gasp and a wince managed to worm their way out. I backed all the faster out of his grasp, placing the phone in his hands and gently rubbing my arms.

His confused look made me freeze. My face paled as he stared down at my arms, and seemed to notice for the first time that I was wearing a sweater.

In the middle of the summer.

I tried to smile, but I couldn't tell if it was convincing or not.

"You can use to back room if you want, straight down the hall."

He nodded, shot another glance at my arms, and turned disappearing into the hallway.

I breathed a sigh of relief and turned back towards my dinner.

I had made breakfast for dinner, something Jake never wanted.

But tonight I was free, and tonight I wanted French toast and eggs, bacon and fruit.

I smiled as I went back to cutting up fruit.

I heard Edward's muffled voice drifting in from the back room, I knew I shouldn't have been so comfortable, but for a moment I found myself pretending.

It was Edward who lived here with me, Edward who didn't blame me, who didn't lose his temper with me.

Edward who would eat breakfast for dinner with me.

I moved onto the French toast and fell out of my dream.

Edward came back into the room, the phone in his hand, curiosity on his face.

"Bella, may I ask a slightly personal question?"

I smiled and nodded, shocked still by his polite manner.

"Why are those paintings on the backroom covered?"

I dropped the French toast in the pan, taking my time to dip the next and find an answer.

"If you do not wish to tell me, you don't have to. It was rude of me to ask."

I shook my head and dropped in the next piece of toast before turning to him. I smiled as I answered, hoping to convey that I was calm, not numb.

"Those are my paintings. When we moved here I wanted a place to put them, I've actually been hoping to find someone who would want them"

He watched me for a moment, and then spoke.

"You don't want them?"

I smiled and shrugged as I turned back to flip the toast. I answered as I worked.

"I painted them; honestly, I want to see people who truly love the painting take them."

He nodded and looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking again. In the silence I took out the French toast and placed them on a plate.

"Would you show them to me?"

I put the pan down and looked over at him, his green eyes serious, and watching me, an emotion playing in their depths that I couldn't grasp.

But what ever it was, it was in his voice, a strength that seemed to wrap itself around me; I nodded and turned off the stove before leading him back into the room.

The back wall rounded out, a seat along the window that ran along it. The ancient book selves barely stood filled with my collection.

I walked over to the wall that most of my paintings leaned on and took the white cloth off each on, uncovering a final five along that wall. I smiled as I folded the white clothes.

Each one had been done in Forks.

I looked back to find that Edward was staring intently at them, after a few moments of silence, he turned to me, a glow in his eyes.

"These are amazing." He whispered.

I smiled and nodded.

"Those places are amazing."

"How much would it cost Bella?"

I looked over at him, confused.

"What?"

He pointed to the paintings.

"To buy a painting of yours?"

I laughed.

"Nothing, I wouldn't charge you for them."

I had never thought of charging people for them, I didn't see the point.

Edward gave me a disbelieving look.

"Bella, these are very good, why would you give them away?"

I shrugged, knowing perfectly well who wiped the idea from my mind when I'd had it.

But I couldn't tell Edward that.

"They aren't that good."

He sighed.

"But they are."

I shrugged. We were silent for a moment, but when he spoke again, there was an edge in his voice that I didn't understand.

"Bella, would you give me a painting? If I asked?"

My heart sped up as I thought about it, already knowing my answer.

"Yes." I whispered.

He nodded and smiled at me.

"I would love to hang one of your paintings in the house when I finish it."

I blushed and looked over at them, throwing the clothes on the chair. I had covered them to keep them nice, and because I knew Jake didn't care for my hobby.

But Edward told me that they were great, and I missed seeing them, I missed painting. I sighed sadly.

Edward watched me for a moment, then spoke.

"Thank you for allowing me to use your phone."

I smiled, knowing he would be leaving, and finding that I wanted nothing of the sort.

"That's ok, I didn't mind, it was nice to have company."

He smiled too and it was silent for a moment again.

I watched him, waiting for him to speak, but he didn't.

His stomach did.

I laughed; he looked down, a little shocked and laughed with me after a moment.

"I'm sorry about that, I guess I should get going, I need to find some place to eat before it gets much later."

I nodded and we walked back down the hallway, silence dancing around us, and my mind working to control my sudden urge. I thought I did have it under control, but when he turned to look back down at me, I blurted out what I was thinking.

"Would you like to join me for dinner?"

I blushed and looked down, trying to find something else to say, but Edward answered before I could.

"I would, if you would not mind the company."

I shook my head, knowing that I rather enjoyed his company.

"Then, yes, I would."

I nodded and smiled weakly up at him, stopping dead when I caught the emotion burning in his eyes. I suddenly wanted nothing more than to know exactly what could make his emerald eyes burn like that.


	2. Confesions

I sighed and turned out the bathroom light, finished with trying to erase what I hated so much

E.P.O.V.

The house was so old, but it was once beautiful, and it would be again when I finished restoring it. I pulled up the moving truck, wishing I'd asked Jasper to come in today instead of tomorrow. This could take a while, but at least I didn't have to move the piano.

My corner mirror caught a glimpse of a truck in the drive a crossed from mine and I moved forward to let them out.

A pale little hand waved before the person took off, I stared for a moment, wondering where the sudden rush came from.

The rooms were already somewhat fixed up, I was glad I'd let Emmett and Carlisle help with that, it would have taken Jasper and I that much longer to fix them up as well. But seeing as how Alice would be in a closet most of the time, Jasper would make sure that the rooms were done.

I smiled to myself as I thought about my little sister; she certainly had turned Jasper's life upside down.

I opened the door and sighed as I started to unload.

I heard an engine later on, roaring as it pulled up into the drive a crossed from mine, I watched as a little pale beauty jumped out, pulling out numerous bags with her, her dark hair whipping behind her as she practically flouted up to her front door. I wondered slightly what had made her so happy, but the old wooden door swung shut and brought me back to reality. I gabbed another two boxes and took them inside. The old house seemed to slowly come back to life as I brought in more things. The living room now held the plasma flat screen box, which held Jasper's T.V., I had never been one for T.V. but he wanted to bring it. The black leather couches that Esme sent over already sat in the room, plastic covering them until the room was done. I set the two boxes on the couch, deciding to go through them later. I walked back outside, looking down at the old steps, wondering it those too needed to be replaced. I was pleased to find they were sturdy.

It was when looked up though that I was struck with a pair of dark eyes. I stopped walking and stared back, just as drawn as she seemed to be. I hadn't seen her face clearly before, but now I had, and I was in awe of such a creature. One that was so close, so unreal here, where there were few people.

She hid here, among the forests and dirt roads, a place where not many would look for her beauty.

Her eyes widened and a blush that sent my pulse up spread a crossed her cheeks as she looked down. I smiled as I hurried into the truck to get more boxes, when I came out though, I stole another glance.

But her attention was now on the book in her lap, she seemed to be drawing, her little hand flew gracefully over the page as her intent eyes smiled.

I stared for another moment, before turning and heading inside, where reason and logic seemed to be hiding, away from her.

It started to get dark when I finally stopped, I needed to call Jasper and let him know he could take his time getting out here.

I pulled out my phone to find that it was dead; I sighed and walked into the kitchen, pulling to phone off the hook, no dial tone.

Great.

"Dammed old fashion houses." I muttered to myself as I walked out to the front porch.

I looked out over the yard, my eyes landed on the house a crossed to street.

I don't know what really had me going over there.

The need for a phone, or her.

Regardless, I was soon on her front porch knocking softly before I even stopped to think. Soon enough though she opened the door, but her attention wasn't on who stood on her porch, it was on her old woodened door. She seemed to be determining something while she looked at it. I smiled as I spoke.

"Good evening."

Her eyes snapped up to me and suddenly a blush that I found myself enjoying more everytime I saw it spread a crossed her face as she looked down.

"Hello."

I let out a chuckle, unable to contain myself as I spoke again.

"My name is Edward Cullen; I just moved a crossed the street."

She looked up and spoke, her soft voice driving my mind mad with intrigue.

"Bella Swan, it's a beautiful house, I hope you restore it someday."

I smiled down at her as I spoke, trying to contain the attraction I felt for a women I just met.

"That is my plan, yet I seemed to misjudge the extent of what needs to be repaired."

She stood there, and then spoke again, as if she was confused.

"Ex-excuse me?"

I smiled.

"I'm afraid that the electric needs work, as well as the plumbing. Unfortunately, these details were over looked."

She watched me for another moment, then her face lit up and she spoke.

"Oh!"

Her chocolate eyes brighten as she spoke.

"I was wondering if it would be possible to use your phone. My cell died during the day, I need to make a call."

She nodded.

"Sure come in."

She stepped aside and I walked in, waiting for her to lead the way, she closed the door carefully and walked down the hall.

I smiled to myself as I watched her close the door, as if to treasure, like old houses should be.

She walked into a kitchen and a crossed, grabbing a phone, if I had not followed her, I knew she would have fallen flat on her face.

But I followed her and was already ready when she fell since she yelped in surprised.

She closed her eyes, as if bracing for impact, I let out a little bit of a laugh as she fell into my arms.

I found that having her there was very enjoyable.

I smiled down at her as she mumbled a sorry, but something was wrong in her face. I slid my hands to her arms, righting her, it was then she gasped and winced at my touch. I looked down and for the first time realized that she was wearing a sweatshirt, in the summer. I stared for a moment, even if it was rude.

She was hiding something.

B.P.O.V.

Edward leaned against the counter while I finished cooking, and we learned about each other.

The conversation was one of the first interesting conversations I've had since I moved here.

Jake was in no way one to talk with.

"Why did you move here?"

I asked, already smiling.

So far I'd learned about where he was from, Chicago, his adoptive parents Carlisle and Esme, his older brother and younger sister, plus the Hale twins, mainly Jasper, who was his best friend, and his soon to be room mate. He'd been on the soccer team, captain actually, and he was a honors student.

"I wanted to break away from the city, from everything there. None of it made me happy really, just content." I nodded, understanding a feeling of content rather than happy. "I want nothing more than to live, but it seems that finding that is hard in a city where no one lives for the moment, mostly it's just people who have planned out lives."

I nodded again.

"Planned, I know what that feels like. Have you found what you wanted here?"

It was silent for a moment, but then his velvet voice filled the room again, and the emotion burning under it sent shivers down my spine.

"I didn't think it was possible this soon, but I believe I have." His voice barely above a whisper when he finished he sentence.

I kept my eyes down, but I could feel his stare the entire time.

"So, may I ask the questions now?"

The polite, light tone back in his voice and I laughed as I nodded.

"Of course. Eye for an eye right?"

He laughed too, moving along the counter when I started putting food on the plates.

"Where did you move from?"

It was an easy question, but the memories when I said the name were anything but.

"Forks."

He nodded.

"Close by."

I shrugged. "Sometimes it feels like I'm a million miles away."

"So it would be correct to assume that you went to Forks High School." I nodded at the statement, and he went on. "I would venture to also conclude that you were not in any sports, considering your grace." I laughed with him and nodded again.

"So why did you move here? Why not into the house a crossed the street?"

I froze under the new question, but decided there was no point in lying.

I was a terrible liar anyway.

"I wasn't in any condition to move into that house, and I picked this house for, well, come on, I'll show you."

I handed him his plate and headed upstairs. Edward hesitated at the foot of the stairs, looking unsure as he watched me for a moment. I smiled and motioned for him to come.

"There are some things you have to see for yourself Edward, are you always afraid to see them?"

He smiled slightly and followed me up the stairs.

We went past the second floor, up to the third, to where I hid away from the world. I walked a crossed to the window and unlatched it before opening it and climbing out.

"Bella?"

Edward called from the room, I laughed.

"Come on."

I heard a sigh and soon enough he was next to me, on the flat section of the roof that over looked his house and the untouched land around us. I sat and smiled as the look of wonder on his face grew.

"Wow." He whispered.

I nodded in agreement. "This answers your question?"

He nodded. I started eating when he did and for a moment, we were quiet.

"Bella?"

I looked up. "Yes?"

He seemed to hesitate when he asked, and as soon as the question came out, I understood why.

"Who hurt you?"

I didn't say anything, just looked down at my arms, he hadn't forgotten. When I didn't speak for a moment, he went on, proving he knew something was going on.

"I barely touched you when I caught you Bella, yet you shot back, as if I hit you." His voice a whisper, one that broke my heart.

There was pain in that voice, and it was because of me.

"I, I didn't mean to, to give that impression, I'm sorry."

He sighed, it sounded frustrated and suddenly, I wondered about his temper. Would he lose control like Jake did?

"Bella, who hurt you?"  
I looked down, I really couldn't fool anyone. This was why Jake didn't let me go with him, they would have seen through me in a second.

So I did the only thing I could do.

"Can you ask another question?" I whispered.

He thought for a moment, and then answered.

"Will you promise me that you will answer this one?"

I nodded. "When I can."

He watched me for a moment, then nodded and shot off another question, one equally as hard.

"Why did you tell me that you were in no condition to move into that house?"

I closed my eyes and silently cursed myself for falling to that one.

But didn't I already decide I wouldn't lie to him?

"When I moved here, I was two months pregnant."

Edward froze, his eyes shot to mine and the emotion in them was too much and I hurried to explain.

"I, I moved here with my boyfriend Jake, and that house was too run down to have the baby in."

It didn't work, at the mention of boyfriend it looked as if something broke in his eyes and I set down my food, racking my hands threw my hair, working on something to say, but suddenly, Edward demanded.

"Is it him who hits you?!"  
My eyes shot to him, horror clear on my face, Edward's voice climbed in volume.

"Does he hit your child too? Where are they?"

I shook my head and looked down, whispering.

"I don't have a child."

Edward calmed immediately, resting a carefully placed hand on my back.

"Bella, I am sorry."

I shook my head.

"I lost the baby at three months."

Tears ran down my face, I tried to stop them, but when I looked up at Edward, more came and I finally voice my fear.

"It's my fault, I lost my baby, and it's all my fault."

Edward's eyes widened and suddenly he pulled me to him, cradling against his chest as he spoke.

"No, no Bella, it could never be your fault. It just wasn't the time, not the right time."

I buried my head in his chest, overwhelmed by the comfort his scent and arms brought me.

Jake had never held me, never once comforted me, and yet here I was with a man I barely knew, feeling safer than I had for a very long time.

Edward rocked up back and forth for a while, soothing me further as he hummed to me. I felt myself relax for the first time in months, and soon enough I let my secret slip out.

"Jake blames me for losing the baby, and sometimes I push him too far."

I felt Edward tense under me, but not too much, I had my head against his shoulder while I spoke, so that I could see his face and those green eyes. Green eyes that were staring down at me.

"Those things never give a man any right to hit a woman, and never one that he loves."

I wanted to agree with him, but I was tired of him that it finally came to me.

When was the last time he really told me he loved me? Not for show, for real?

"He doesn't tell me that anymore." I thought out loud.

Edward's arms tightened around me as he whispered.

"You deserve to hear those words Bella."

I shrugged, feeling myself slip into a dream as we sat there.

The last thing I remember was Edward humming to me again.

Dreams shifted through my mind the whole night, but there was one similarity in every single one.

Edward.

He was there, and in every single one, I felt safe.

Some thing I never felt with Jake.

I watched carefully as the scene sifted, I was in a pale blue sun dress. It showed my arms, things that I hid now, I was smiling, my face was clear of everything except a smile, and he was there, holding my hand. We stood outside, in front of my dream house, but it wasn't old and forgotten anymore, it was beautiful. He made it beautiful; I gasped and smiled over at him, pleased to find he was staring back at me.

"For you." He whispered, and the scene changed.

I was in the house now, it was the same as the first day I ever saw it, broken, but with the traces of hope that it would always keep. I looked around, only to feel arms slip around my waist. I looked down to find pale arms around my growing stomach, and again I was amazed as the comfort I felt from these pale arms. He smiled down at me and nodded yes when my unspoken question past my mind.

I wanted nothing more to stay with that one dream, but it left just as the first had, and though I was sure it would be my favorite, it wasn't.

The last one was.

I was standing on the back deck, my dream house standing proud behind me, but it paled in comparison to what was before me.

A little green eyed chocolate haired girl ran, yelling in joy as her father chased around her, scooping her up into his protective arms. They both laughed, and when the little girl looked up at me, the smile grew and she pointed, bringing her father's attention. I looked up to find the green eyed god, smiling at me, his eyes burning with that forgein emotion, one that was now becoming clear as he walked towards me, the little girl laughing and reaching out for me.

"Mommy!"

I smiled, and took her into my arms, laughing with her as realization hit. I stared back into those green eyes of the man who took care of me, and the emotion in his eyes made sense, even before he voiced it.

But when he did, my heart raced, my cheeks burned, and I was happy.

His hand held my cheek, the other winding around my waist and pulling both me and our daughter closer to him.

"I love you."

I woke, finally breaking free of the torment my mind had put me through. I was used to dreaming of being free, but never of love, of the family I had lost.

I looked around, surprised to find that I was still on the roof, and even more surprised to find that tears were falling down my face.

I wanted those dreams; I wanted what I couldn't have, even when he was right under me, with his arms around me. I sighed and leaned back into his chest, letting the tears slip, just this once. The air was already warm, as it had stayed that way through the night, and the sun was climbing higher every passing minute. I stayed still though, wanting nothing more than to pretend as if this wasn't a dream, if it wasn't what I would never have.

I gasped once more for breath and gained back my control, wiping the last tear away as Edward woke.

I smiled down at him, relishing on how my heart skipped a beat when he smiled back.

"Good morning." I mumbled.

He laughed quietly.

"Yes, it is a good morning."

I waited for him to realize his arms were still around me, to realize this was wrong, and he didn't want me, but he didn't. Instead, as he shifted, his arms tightened around me and he positioned himself better against the wall, pulling me closer. Shock ran threw my body at his action, I wasn't used to being wanted, Jake always pushed me away in the morning. As I laid back though, his house came into view. I smiled at it, and on a whim, asked him for something.

"Promise me you'll restore it, take care of it."

Edward seemed to know what I was talking about, and on much the same kind of whim, spoke what his mind would have screamed him not to.

"Promise me you'll stay with me." He whispered into my ear, sending shivered down my spine.

I pulled forward and looked back at him, letting my judgment play a role. I was witha man, when I was in a relationship already.

And it certainly was not with Edward.

I pulled back farther, noticing when he let me go with a sad but calm face, he didn't make me do something that I didn't want to do, well what I shouldn't be doing. There was no point in lying to myself and saying I didn't want that.

"I'm, I can't promise those things to you Edward." I whispered, just as he had.

Edward sat forward, closer to me, speaking about the hushed whispers as if they were bad.

"Why not Bella?"

I looked up at him.

"I can't do that to him."

Edward's look was confused, but mixed with other emotions, ones I still didn't understand; he seemed angered by my words.

"Yet he can do horrible things to you. Tell me Bella, why can you not leave a man you do not love?"

I opened my mouth to speak, loudly, but it all came out rushed, surprised, and nothing more than that of a whisper.

"How do you know I don't love him?"

Edward looked away for a moment, then back into my eyes, seeming to fight with himself as he did so.

"Broken is not love, you hide your paintings, why?"

I looked down; wishing that I'd left his accusation alone. I already knew I didn't love Jake anymore, but why did I have to face it?

"Bella, tell me why." He pleaded.

Tears ran down my face again, falling onto the wood underneath us, I drew in a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

"He never liked them."

Whispers, was everything always whispers!?

Edward's hand was suddenly on the side of my face, the one without bruising and I couldn't help but flinch before realizing he wouldn't hurt me, and let him bring my face up to his.

The pain in his eyes from my reaction was almost unbearable to look at.

"Don't punish yourself Bella, don't do this. Please."

His voice held the pain, an edge that pleaded with me as I listened.

He felt pain at my pain, I was hurting some one I barely knew, but still already cared about.

I was hurting Edward.

Suddenly the whispers weren't there anymore, and the anger at dragging some one down over took me. I rose and walked over to the other side of the roof, looking out over my land as I spoke.

"And who are you to ask such a thing Edward?! Why the hell do you see through the fake smiles when no one else does?!"

I turned to find he was standing now to, a determined look on his face as he spoke.

"I look past those things Bella."

His voice was calm and it pushed me over the edge, sure, he could ask me to leave Jake, but what the hell should I do then? Stay with him? Why, so he could walk away, so he could hurt me?

I ran my hands through my hair as the questions piled up, one breaking through and coming to my lips.

My voice was breathless as I asked.

"Why am I supposed to do then Edward?"

He watched me for a moment before suddenly crossing the roof and pulling me to him, not pausing as he kissed me.

I stood there, shocked, and, happy.

I kissed him back, reacting to someone, something for the first time in months. He pulled back gently, waiting as I pushed forward for his lips again.

And that was when he answered me.

"Love me." He whispered.

I stopped, looking up at him, and realizing, that I wanted to.

Instinct took over then and I closed the distance between us again, finally feeling alive as his lips moved with mine, as if we were old lovers. His arms wrapped around me, lifting me somewhat.

I smiled and let my arms wrap around his neck.

But, as I kissed him, images of Jake flashed in my mind, and I pulled back, afraid.

My face paled of the blush it had held only a moment ago as I looked up at Edward.

"He won't let me leave."

Edward's eyes hardened.

"He will, and you will be safe." He vowed to me, and I believed him.


	3. Decisions

**I'm so sorry it's taken so long to update, my very dependable computer, although it's taken a turn for the worst, crashed, twice! I was working on trying to save the data and writing up more chp.s when it crashed the 2nd time. I'm so sorry it's taking so long to get back to updating my stories on a weekly basis, which is how I would have liked to update this one, or sooner depending on feedback. Anywho, I've managed to write this chp. and I'm working on the next few. please don't stop reading, and review!!**

_"He will and you will be safe"_

The look in his eyes had been enough to make me believe that what he said was the truth, and in all honesty, it was the only truth I needed.

The only one I wanted.

The day was spent in a slience that I loved, a new kind of quiet that gave every touch, every movement between the two of us a new set of feelings. None were fear, and it was the most wonderful I'd felt in such a long time.

We stood now, laughing as my front door, my beautiful front door, stood proudly, freshly stained in the afternoon light.

"It came out rather well."

I nodded in agreement. You couldn't tell where Edward had to take over becuase I wasn't tall enough, the thought made me smile again. I set down the rag and slipped onto the front steps, watching the acient house acrossed the street, Edward's house.

"It was my dream house you know."

The boards on the porch creaked again as he sat down.

"I know."

I sighed and pulled my knees up around me, how could I have let this Bella go? The one who laughed, who did things around the house, who loved to paint and listen to music.

"Edward, I don't know if I can do this."

He stared striaght ahead, and for a moment, I thought I had ruined everything, until he looked down at me and smiled.

"When you do know, tell me, I'll be waiting."

I had expected anger, or him to walk away, not the smile that I got. I managed a nod before turning my vision back out towards the road, and his house. It was as I watched that house that I realized what those dreams meant.

Edward would be my freedom, he would give everything I'd lost, and maybe more. There would be no more nights of hiding behind chores just to keep from facing the man who hated me, no more hitting. No more days spent longing for the paintbrush and canvus that I'd gotten as a house warming present. I wouldn't have to be afriad of saying what I wanted to say, Edward wouldn't ever hurt me for saying what I felt. No more screams of sorrow and anger from the fighting, no more words of 'going too far', or fake 'I'm sorry's.

I could be free, I only had to have the courage to take hold of it.

To stay with Edward.

No more being broken.

"What would you like to do tonight Bella?"

His voice was so soft, so kind, I answered all the faster to keep the light feeling in my chest.

"I want to go out, I don't want to hide here anymore."

He looked down at me and the crooked smile was playing on his lips as he spoke in a low voice.

"I was hoping you would say that."

PROMISE-PROMISE

The dress was just a simple white sundress, I gotten it from Renee a while ago and I'd never gotten the chance to wear it. The bruises were fading on my arms, but not enough to leave them showing. I grabbed the dark blue button down sweater and slipped it on, I grabbed my flip flops as I made my way downstairs, a smile on my face the whole way down. I'd even left my hair down.

Edward was waiting by the door, it stood open letting in the evening's calming breeze. I slowed to watch him in his glory, he may have been from the city, but here in the country, he looked simply divine.

The black button down shirt didn't look stiff as it would have on Jake, though his broad shoulders filled it like Jake's would have. It was rolled to his elbows, which showed off the lean muscle that lay underneath the pale skin. He was facing out towards the road, but I knew his eyes would be closed, he would have a look of pure bliss on his face as took in the night air.

I stood on the last step, slipping on my flip flops, letting him know I was there so I didn't ruin his private moment.

He turned towards me, his eyes light, happy.

"You look beautiful Bella."

The compliment was so simple, but the words, the sound of his voice drove the blush into my cheeks, he was holding himself back.

I looked down and mumbled a thank you before walking out to his car.

The silver volvo looked so clean and advanced next to my old truck, I let out a laugh, the sound seemed so alien to me.

Edward beamed down at me.

"Care to share what it is you find amusing?" There was a playful tone in his voice, one I found myself enjoying.

"My old truck has at least fourty years on your volvo."

He looked over and laughed, nodding in agreement. "It would seem so."

He opened my door for me and I thanked him before getting in.

Edward's driving could be questionable, and had I not been so excited with the fact that I was out of the house, actually going out, I would have said something. But I kept quiet, until he turned on his music, then I gasped.

"You listen to Johnny Cash?"

He smiled at me. "You like hs music?"

I laughed and settled into my seat as Ring Of Fire played.

"My step father Phil loves Johnny Cash, when he and Renee started dating he would come over one night a week and cook us dinner. Afterwards he would play his old Johnny Cash records and dance with us."

Edward smiled as I recalled my fonder times.

"He sounds like a good man."

I nodded. "He is, a little young maybe, but a good person, and he really loves Renee."

I sighed and looked out the window. "I haven't seen them in a longtime. After everyone found out I was pregnant, they started to drift away, but Renee and Phil more so than the others, they don't like Jake. Phil told me it wasn't the fact I got pregnant, it was who the father was that made him and Renee so dissapointed."

Edward stayed silent while I continued.

"I didn't know just how right they were about him though."

A warm hand enclosed mine, I looked down to find Edward's hand around mine. I was so unused to the gesture, Jake never touched me, in anyway.

"They love you though, no matter what has happened."

His words comforted me, even though he didn't know them, he still understood that they loved me, just not Jake.

I missed the sign that had told us we were in the town, so when we pulled into a parking lot, filled with other cars and lights decorating the wires that posted the area I looked at him in question.

He smiled.

"Arts festavil."

I couldn't contain the smile or the laugh of excitment that pushed past my lips. We got out and hurried acrossed the street as more cars moved into the parking lot. I marveled as people stood at the booths, paintings, drawings, sketches, beaders making more necklaces while people watched, everything was so alive. A new band came started playing as we made our way around, the words drifted towards me and I felt light again as I walked next to Edward, his hand still around mine.

Welcome to the planet

Welcome to existence

Everyone's here

Everyone's here

Everybody's watching you now

Everybody waits for you now

What happens next?

What happens next?

Edward smiled down at me and pointed towards a booth farther ahead. I woman stood, her pastals in hand as she worked on the scene before here, we made our there. She was older, past the younger years of her life, and by the look on her face, she was more than content with where she was now.

Her work was displayed around the booth, one took me completely. I stopped in front of the piece, the view of the city below, the acient castle was breathtaking.

"Volturria, a palace of myths." I looked up at her, she smiled and nodded towards the painting.

I looked back at it, unable to contain my awe of the piece. "It's beautiful."

She nodded again while she worked, a smile gracing her features. "I'm most fond of my travels, I find the best places to sit and draw when I'm away from home."

A longing swept over me at her words, I had never gotten the chance to see if I could find those places. Yet looking at the pianting, I was sure they were there, a beauty, or love that was drawn, or even written about wasn't all dreamed up. Somewhere, at some point, those things had to have been real.

The woman stood, she wipped her hand and picked it up, with a swift movement she took the price sticker off and handed it to me. I froze and shook my head and I felt the blush crawling back into my cheeks.

"I couldn't possibly take it, I haven't paid for it, I haven't down anything to earn it at all."

She laughed and shook her head and she rounded the table and placed the painting in my hands.

"You admired it, out of all the wonders here tonight, you stopped and stared at my picture, that is payment enough."

She looked up at Edward for the first time and smiled back at me. "He and you will make it there one day, that I truly believe, until then, take this. I would be most pleased to know that you and your husband held one of my paintings, you truly can admire beauty."

I stared in shock while I heard Edward whisper. "And such beauty there is to admire." His eyes watched mine and I knew his comment had nothing to do with the painting.

The blush grew a deeper shade of red and I looked back at the woman, she smiled again and laughed once she caught sight of my blush.

"A lucky woman you are, take good care of him, perhaps we will see eachother next year."

Without any other words she retreated back behind her table and then further back behind a curtain at the back of the booth.

I stood for a moment, staring at my ring finger, which held no ring, nor any tan mark of where I would wear one.

Yet without any thought she assumed Edward was mine, and I was his. Had it been any other person, I may have just shrugged it off, but this woman was different, and she seemed to think that we were together.

I knew that what it looked like, we held hands, he kept me close and I allowed it, but up close you would still see how new it all was, but that didn't seem to affect her at all.

I twirled around and stared up at Edward, he watched me while I stared and I realized something then.

Just as the lights his dark emerald eyes, just as the band chanted out their words to the beat of their're music, and those words only prompted me more.

I was ready for my freedom, I was more than ready to find myself again, the parts that I'd lost with Jake.

I dare you to move

I dare you to move

I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor

I dare you to move

I dare you to move

Like today never happened

Today never happened

Today never happened

Today never happened before

I smiled as I reached up and left my hand cup his strong face, his eyes smothered mine as he understood what this meant, without hisitation he leaned into me and I kissed him.

Without words we both knew what this kiss meant.

What we were risking and all the outcomes possible, and that we were both ready to chance that, though for some reason I knew he would leave. The pull that seemed to have been forged the moment we spoke to eachother was just as strong for him as it was for me.

There in the middle of town, I kissed him, I let every old fear, every adopted notion about men, every bit of the scared, broken Bella go.

E.P.O.V.

Bella held my hand tightly just before letting go, she was sad, I could tell that.

I had completely forgotten that both Alice and Jasper would be here today, so when I saw the bike and the yellow porche parked in my drive I knew I couldn't stay with Bella tonight, no matter how much I wanted to. This wasn't like me, and not being at the house when they got there would be enough to tip Alice off.

"Tomorrow morning." I promised, I brought her hand to mine and kissed the delicate little fingers.

She smiled, but something was still off, I waited for a moment and was pleased when she let it out with such ease. She was a different persond from the timid woman who answered the door last night.

"I just, I don't feel right sleeping in that bed, I mean, it feels like I'm betraying you."

Her words caught me by surprise, I had expected that she would say Jake, but instead it was me she was worried about. Though I didn't like the thought of her sleeping in a bed that she shared with another man, she still wasn't comepletely mine, no matter how much we felt pulled towards eachother. I was courting a woman who still belonged to another man in polite society's eyes, and I was of polite society. I had no right to act of the strange burning feeling in the pit of my stomach at those thoughts, still, if it bothered even her then perhaps what I felt wasn't so far fetched.

"But you're not, and I would rather you sleep comfortably." She nodded, and a smile lit up her expression.

"I know what to do."

I let out a small laugh, I knew she would be ok, I only had to bring myself to leave her presence.

"Then I bid you goodnight, my sister and friend are waiting for me, and though I'd much rather stay with you, my sister is a bit persistent."

She smiled again, a playful glint in her eyes. "I could see that, seems to be a family trait."

We both laughed.

"Good night Edward." She bit her lip after she spoke my name, the notion sending shivers down my spine.

"Goodnight, my Bella."

Without thought I leaned in and kissed her, becuase in that moment, this was my Bella, this woman, not the broken one that I'd met. No, the real Bella, that was my Bella, and in every right she would always have me. She leaned up and kissed me back in earnst.

She pulled back with a blush and walked up her steps and into her front door.

I walked back acrossed the street and up my drive with an ease, marveling at my own revelation.

She was mine, and I was hers.

I'd never said that about any person, not in anyway. I'd never felt anything like this, and yet with Bella, it was natural. I took my front steps two at a time and got inside before my actions and Alice's knowledge caught up with me.

She stood, hands on her tiny hips, a pained and worried expression on her face, but there was also anger, Jasper stood behind her, further back into the room, a similur exression on his face, without the anger.

"What in the hell do you think you're getting yourself and that girl into Edward Anthony Masen Cullen?!"

I cringed at the use of my full name, all four names. I took my shoes off and took a deep breath before trying to deal with my twin sister.

"I don't what your screaming about Mary Alice, but you may want to calm down before picking a fight with me."

Though I only used two of her four names, she knew I was serious. So the yelling stopped and the pained expression took over, though the anger was still there.

"Don't play dumb Edward, it's never been very becoming of you. Jasper and I have been out here before and we both know very well that the woman across the street does not live alone."

I sighed and crossed the room to the window, Bella's living room light was on, the longing came back as I noticed a small shadow move across the room, she was there, and I was stuck here.

"It's nothing of what you think Alice."

She let out a tired sigh this time, Jasper spoke in her stead, he always knew when to intervine.

"Then explain this to us Edward, we're only worried about what could happen to you, she's not yours for the taking."

Without meaning to I turned towards Jasper and let my own anger seep into my words, anger from what Jake had done.

"What happens to me will never be half as horrible as what has happened to Bella, and if at all possible I will make her mine in everyway that I can."

Jasper's steps towards me stopped and Alice looked up from her hands in shock.

"Edward, what's going on?"

I sighed and closed my eyes.

"It's not my place to tell you, but just trust me, what's going on between us is anything but wrong."

"Us?" Alice whispered, the anger was back, she didn't like being left out of things.

I sighed again. "Yes Alice, us, as in Bella and I."

She started yelling again. "There can't be an 'us' with you and Bella Edward! In case you haven't already noticed she already has an 'us' between her and that other man, the one who _lives _with her!"

"It's not like that for her Alice! She doesn't love him, she's trapped there! That god dam bastard has done nothing but hurt her!"

I've never truly yelled at my sister before, but at the moment I could tell by the shock on her face that I had. Jasper looked at the both of us before turning towards Alice.

"Just let him explain Alice, Edward's never done rash things, there has always been reason."

She watched Jasper, the anger in her eyes faded and she nodded.

"Explain Edward, even if it's not your place, tell me, becuase unless you do I'm afriad I can't understand."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to calm myself. Thoughts of Bella tonight washed through my mind and without any further encouragement, the anger faded.

I sank into the nearest chair, suddenly tired.

"I can't tell you everything Alice, but I'm asking you to trust me, as your brother, that I would never do something like this unless there was something more there."

She nodded again and pulled Jasper down into the huge chair behind her.

"I'm still not even sure what exactly has happened there, but he hurt her Alice, and it goes deep, much deeper than you or I could fathom. She truly is trapped, and I can't leave her, I can't even make it through an hour anymore with thinking of her. You know me, I've never felt this way for someone before, and it's too strong to let go of with her, I won't."

She was silent, but her eyes held sorrow, pity. After a moment she stood, a smile smile crossed her face.

"You bring her to meet us like a good brother, if she means this much to you, then she should know that she is welcome here, no matter who is around. Tomorrow, before anything else happens."

I nodded, relief coursing through me at her words, Bella was welcome with Alice, and that was all that I could ask for.

"Tomorrow."

**I hope you all liked this chp.! I know this is a bit fast, but I'm not getting them together because I'm impatient, but we all know that Edward and Bella love eachother something fierce. Besides this story is more to do with what they must do to stay and be together. I'll be putting up the next chp. soon. Review and tell me what you think!!**


	4. Breakfast

B.P.O.V.

I'd never taken the time to relax into sleep, it was normally rushed and in hopes of avoiding Jake altogether, but last night I didn't have to.

Last night I let myself pass safely into my dreams, and the joy was marovlous.

The couch was just as comfortable as it always has been, and the view that the front window gave was enough to soothe me to sleep, and wake me in the morning.

It was when I had gotten dressed just after my shower that the door bell rung, and the answering smile on my face was too big to hide, Edward. Without pause I took the steps down two at a time, all the sooner to reach him, to be in his arms. I threw the old door opened and let out a laugh as I jumped into his arms. His own laughter joined my own as he spun up around on the porch. He slid me down to the ground, keeping his arms wrapped around me.

"Goodmorning."

His lips gently kissed my forhead. My eyes closed and I enjoyed the touch.

"It is."

He smiled and took my hand in his, letting our fingers lace together.

"Are you ready to meet my sister?"

I took a deep breath and nodded, though I wasn't at all sure that I was. I wasn't used to being able to meet people, Jake always kept me home after we lost the baby. Thinking back now, I didn't want to meet anyone else, I was ashamed with Jake, he'd hurt me becuase of something I did, something that I couldn't control.

But I didn't have to be ashamed with Edward, he'd never hurt me, no matter whose fault it was. I knew that.

"What's her name?"

He smiled as we made our way down the drive.

"Alice, and her boyfriend, my friend, is Jasper."

I bit my lip, trying to keep the nerves at bay, they were family, well Alice was, and Jasper was a good friend. I could do this.

"Bella?"

I looked up to find those green worried eyes watching me. I took a deep breath and smiled.

"I'm ok, just a little nervous, I don't want her to hate me becuase of what is happening between the two of us. I know this isn't how it should be, it's not proper."

He stopped and cupped my face, a small smile gracing his features as he spoke, that low velvet voice washing away the last of my fears.

"She understands, truly, she does, just give her a chance."

I nodded and smiled, he seemed more satisfied with this smile and took my hand again as we crossed the street and walked up his drive. The closer we got to the old house the more amazed I'd gotten.

He had already started fixing it, the porch had been repanaled, and painted, the old windows had been treated, including the beautiful stained glass on the front door. Around the porch was weeded and the grass cut away from the house, letting it's beauty stand true. I marveled at it all, I couldn't wait to see what it would look like finished. Edward chuckled.

"Close your mouth Bella." His tone was playful and I stuck my tounge out at him before complying.

He pulled me close just before the steps. "Now now, that wasn't very nice. Keep that up and I might just do something about it."

I felt the light laughter bubble to my lips, but I kept it cool while we played our little game.

"Really? And what might that be?"

He smiled as he leaned in and whispered. "This." His lips grazed mine and though we both knew it was meant to be a short kiss, neither one of us seemed to be able to stop.

His hands slipped down to my waist, keeping me close to him when he leaned in towards me, and without thinking I slid my hands up his chest. I'd never done this with Jake before, even when we were still a new couple, when we still loved eachother. Edward was everything I'd never had, everything I was beganing to realize that I needed.

"Hmmm." A light voice pulled up apart, I was red I knew and I hid somewhat behind Edward, who turned towards the tiny woman who stoof on the porch.

Short, spiked black hair sprang out in every direction around a pale pixie-like face. Light green eyes danced with amusement and something more as she placed her hands on her little hips and stared down at her brother.

I didn't need introductions to know this was Edward's sister, Alice.

"That was very rude Mary Alice." Edward's voice sounded annoyed.

It was hard not to laugh, he may have sounded annoyed, but it was nothing more than annoyed with his sister. Not emotions behind that one, nothing brewing just under the surface, nothing like what I'd come to exprect from people. She stared down at him, her expression pleased, then without a word her gaze shifted to my own and the look told me that her opinion of me was on the line now. Without a word she looked back over at her brother for a split second before turning around and walking back into the house, her voice rang out towards us as she called over her shoulder.

"Breakfast is ready."

Edward's hand closed around my own, but I was frozen to my spot, that look, I knew this was a bad idea. I looked up at him, trying to plead with my eyes.

"Maybe this isn't a good time."

He watched me, his expression growing sad.

"Bella, what's wrong?"

I took a deep breath, he wasn't just asking about freezing up, he wanted to know what was under that. How did he know it was there? I didn't even know half the time, but when he spoke it was like I knew myself that much better.

"This isn't my life Edward, she knows that, and, I, I don't want to meet her only to have to say goodbye."

His hands held my face, his eyes burning into mine with such emotion that I felt I was swimming in it all. Such deep emotion in such a short time, yet I knew I felt the same.

"Bella, listen to me, please. I don't feel like this about people, I love my family, and my friends are important to me, but that is it. I do not just move into a house and fall for the beautiful woman acrossed the street who lives with her boyfriend. But here I am, falling, and as much as it scares me, it scares her more. You are a contridiction to every single moment that I have lived, and I would like forever if only to have you that much longer. So please, do not lose hope now, not when it's only begining."

His words were my own, his story so closely tied to my own that I was at a complete loss. I couldn't tell him now, it would be going against every single fiber of my being.

So I didn't walk away like I knew I should, I didn't try and talk him and myself out of this if only to save him from the waste of time. I let myself slip into those words, let his sweet velvet voice sooth the fear in the pit of my stomach.

I shoved my instinct to run in the back of my mind, I would not run from him, I would not run from the Bella that I used to be.

No, I wouldn't do that, I smiled, I let the happiniess of what he'd told me fill it, I let myself believe those words, believe him.

"Ok."

His own crooked smile stretched acrossed his face and he led me up the stairs and into the wonderus house. We walked through the front room, a huge flat screen already sitting on the wall, as if it'd been there for a while, black leather sofas and giant chairs sat around the room. I loved it, the modern furneture with the acient house was amazing, the restained wooden floors looked like they were in their prime, nothing at all like how they'd looked when Jake and I had been in the house. We walked through the dining room and out glass french doors, onto a huge back deck. I looked back through the doors, those last two rooms have been huge, but I didn't remember the deck when I'd looked at the house.

I turned to question Edward, but he was already watching me, a smile on his lips.

"We had this put in the day after we bought it a couple of months back."

I closed my mouth, completely dazed, how had I not noticed workers? This kind of deck would have taken more than a day, yet I couldn't recall anything. The voice at the back of my mind scoffed and said one thing.

Jacob.

I frowned, I missed so much when I was hiding from him.

Edward was still watching me when I heard someone else out on the deck with us, through another det of french doors, I could see a huge kitchen and a tall, honey blonde man walking out with a plate full of fruit. He set it down at a table, something else I had not noticed, without so much as pausing he looked over at me and tilted his head.

"Goodmorning miss."

His voice slicked with a wonderful southern acent, piercing blue eyes watching my own. His entire movement was a fluid as water as he turned back headed back through the doors.

I looked back at Edward. He smiled. "Jasper."

I nodded, that was Alice's boyfriend.

"He's so tall." I mumbled.

Edward let out his musical laughter. I blushed, I always mumbled to myself, but normally I wasn't around people so it never proved to be a problem, until now.

Alice walked out now, plates stacked in her little hands. She set up four around the table, and for the first time I noticed that the table already held plates of food, orange juice in a glass pitcher, even napkins folded and waiting. She turned to us, her eyes on Edward.

"Jasper needs your help."

She didn't say what he needed help with, which was all I needed to hear to know that Jasper didn't really need help. I took a deep breath and smiled over at Edward, he looked uncertain, ready to stay, but I shook my head.

"I'll be out here." My voice was level, not shaky as I suspected it would have been.

He nodded and walked towards the door, pausing only when he reached Alice.

"Don't make me regret giving this chance Alice."

She didn't look up at him or say anything back, on gave a curt nod. With nothing more, Edward dissapeared into the house and I let out a sigh, I walked towards the railing, choosing to admire the land instead of watch Alice form her judgement. But I wasn't silent as I normally would have been, I let my thoughts out, let her hear who I was.

"I never would have thought to build a deck back here, but then again, I couldn't picture the living room the way it is, I would have never been able to see something like that."

I heard her walking over towards me, joining me while I looked over the railing, out at the land, the freedom right in the back yard.

"Thank you."

I looked over at her, question in my eyes.

"I designed the layout for the house. It took me a little while to think of how the house could reflect Edward but still hold the beauty of it's original design."

I nodded and looked back out at the yard.

"He's an amazing person, my brother, he's never been one for other people though, so I'm not too sure how to take this, how to deal with you."

I let out a humorless laugh.

"Dealing with me isn't the problem is it? It's how this whole relationship came about, and to that, I agree, I wouldn't know how to deal with it either."

She turned to me, her eyes still unreadable. "So you understand?"

I shook my head and stood straight. "Not at all. I would never expect to either, becuase to me, it doesn't matter how anything happens, I've learned there are reasons for that. The only thing that matters to me are the people involved. I know the situation that I'm in, with Edward, isn't something you approve of, but I would rather you judge me based on me."

She nodded and turned back out to the land with me, her expression thoughtful, hisitant.

"Edward told me last night that he hurt you, well I may have forced it out of him, but I would like to hear from you. Edward has always been the type of person who can't let go of something, but that same thing has to be pretty spectacular for him to even notice in the first place. I don't want to run you off, but I do want to know what's going on."

I took in a deep breath and nodded, I could do this.

"Jacob has been with me now for seven years, since we were sixteen. Being with him just made sense, I couldn't really ever tell you if my love for him was purely based romantically. He's just, there, always has been, you know?"

I looked over at her, she nodded a small smile touching her features. "Yeah, that I can understand."

I went on, telling myself that it was ok.

"Two years ago, I got pregnant, and I was so happy, he was too, but for such different reasons, and it took losing my baby to understand just how different we truly were."

Alice's breathing stopped for a moment, I looked over to find that tears had stained those light green eyes, a shaken look on her face.

"You lost your child?" It was a whisper.

I nodded, not bothering to try and say it was ok, it wasn't, there was nothing ok about losing my baby. Nothing at all alright about it.

But my story wasn't over, so I went on.

"When I first realized I was preganant I went to my dad, Charlie, and he seemed content with Jake being the father. I was planning on staying there, but Jake had other ideas and thats how we ended up here."

Now came the hard part, the part that I hadn't needed to tell Edward, but to Alice, her I needed to tell. She needed to understand, I wanted her to.

"I was three in a half months preganant when it happened. I'd woken up and instead of wanting to throw up, my stomach hurt, it hurt to much. Jake took me to the hospital, it was on the way there that I started bleeding, and then I knew what was happening, I knew I'd lost my baby."

Tears washed down Alice's face, she was paler than she had been, but without words she reached out and held my hand. She gave a squeeze and I went on, I told her everything.

"Jake changed after that, he blamed me for losing the baby, and I agree with him. I remember the first time I'd realized he'd changed, it was months afterwards, when we had safely avoided the topic all the time. We had gotten into a fight, Jake didn't like being so far from the reservation, from his friends and his family. But we had made a deal, I would move in with him, but I got to choose where we moved, and I fell in love with this place. He told me that the only reason why we lived here was becuase of the baby. I was so mad, so mad that he didn't care that this was our home, we'd made our home here and to him, it was nothing. I'd brought my entire world here and lost the biggest piece of it, but I stayed with him. I don't really remember anything after that, only that once I said something else, he hit me. I didn't expect it, and he spat he words at me before storming out."

Alice drew in a shaky breath.

"What did he say?" She looked over at me now and I owed it to her to look her in the eyes when I told her.

"He said that I killed our baby."

She let out a sob, and I blinked away tears that I hadn't known were falling down my own face. Without warning she threw her arms around me, I hugged her back, comforted by the contact.

"Oh Bella, I'm so sorry, you don't deserve that."

We didn't get much more time to talk, Jasper came out the door, worry on his face.

"Alice?!"

She pulled away from me and gave Jasper a watery smile. "Sorry, just got caught up in the moment, we'll be along in a minute."

He looked from her to me, no doubt taking in our tear stained faces, and nodded slowly. Once he was back inside Alice looked back over at me, her expression sad.

"You truly are trapped there, aren't you?"

I took a deep breath and nodded.

"Edward, he brings back me, the person I used to be. I know that may sound stupid, but, after everything with Jake, I gave up, I didn't want to remember who I was, then I would remember that this isn't what I wanted. You know, Edward asks me things? I've forgotten that about people, that you ask someone what they want to do, or how they feel. Jake and I don't talk."

She smiled at me.

"What do you want Bella?"

I looked out over the landscape again, this time, excitment welling in my stomach.

"I want to be free, I want to paint again, I want to have a home to come back to, where I'm safe, and I feel safe with Edward."

I marveled at my own desire, my own revelation. I did feel safe with Edward, I felt at home around him, comfortable. I knew he wouldn't every chain me down either, he would let me hide away from the world, or fade away from who I was.

She took my hand, I looked over in surprise, I still wasn't used to people touching me. I looked up at her face, only when I was calm again.

"Don't you worry one bit, we won't let him hurt you anymore."

She still looked teary, but her words were strong and I found that I was growing tearful again as I smiled at her. I gave her hand a squeeze.

"Thank you."

She let out a laugh and pulled me towards the table. "No Bella, thank you, I've never seen Edward this happy, it's good to know that he'd just as cherished."

I smiled, feeling the blush in my cheeks.

"Boys!" Alice called through from the table, settling herself next to me, grinning when I gaped at the food.

"Jasper's a great cook."

I looked over the food, pancakes, scrambled eggs, walffles, bacon, everything. "I guess so."

The boys came out, both watching us closely. Jasper sat on Alice's side, taking his spot slowly while Edward slid down next to me with ease. His hand slipping into my own as he scooped food onto his plate.

"Are you ok?"

I was grateful that he didn't make a big scene, just asked casually as he helped him to food, like I was. He knew what to press and what not to press, and it only now occured to me that he was the only one who did.

"Yes."

My voice was light, and he nodded. The his full attention turned to Alice, and he when he asked her, it was enough to quiet the noise of plates and spoons filled with food.

"What about you Alice? Are you satisifed?" I could hear the slight anger in his tone.

But I wasn't afraid of him, instead I found myself growing a little annoyed that he was directing it at Alice, I understood her reasons.

I looked over at him, placing my hand on his arm.

"Edward, stop it." He looked back down at me, his eyes prodding mine, tracing the tear stains down my cheeks.

"It's alright Bella, I deserve it really. I shouldn't have pressed like I did, but I didn't know what else to do, this isn't a normal relationship so getting to know you wouldn't really work, not when it wasn't only you two involved." She smiled at me then turned her attention to Edward. "Yes, I'm just perfect Edward, but I do expect that you will take care of her, and that means keeping her from harm."

Alice wasn't yelling, but the force of her words met me with an undercurrent that I was sure would have stopped anyone for a second, but not Edward. His steel eyes stared right back at her.

"I intend on it."

She nodded the, her expression turning light, she went back to filling Jasper's plate with fruit and handed it back to him.

"So Bella, what do you like to do?"

I shrugged. "I like Cooking, when I'm not painting."

She beamed at me.

"You and Jasper should cook for us all one day."

Edward seemed to calm down and took a bite of food.

"I wouldn't want to intrude." My blush was back. I took a bite of the food and almost died, I hadn't eaten anything this good in a long time, it took everything I had not to groan at the taste.

Jasper looked up, surprised. "It wouldn't be an intrusion at all, I would be happy to have you in the kitchen."

I smiled and nodded.

"Alright then."

Edward chuckled. "If her cooking is anything like her paintings then she'll give you a run for your money Jasper."

Alice perked up then, she looked over at me. "Have you painted anything recently Bella?"

I shook my head, she sighed and looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Do you draw?"

I nodded, the food was too good to stop eating.

The smile on her face was back and she took another bite of food.

The rest of the morning went on like that, the conversation during breakfast was easy, light. Things that I hadn't had in a long time, Edward held my hand the whole time, above the table. He took me around the house afterwards, it wasn't all finished, but it was already beautiful. Jasper found us on the third floor, looking through more rooms, he grinned and held out the phone in his hand.

"Emmett."

Edward took it from him and excused him for a moment.

I smiled at Jasper. "Thank you for breakfast, it was wonderful."

He grinned. "It was my pleasure."

I made my way to the window, trying to picture what it would have been like to buy this house, to have not lost the baby, but I couldn't.

It was never Jacob I saw, never a black haired little boy, but Edward and that little green eyed girl.

"I'm sorry for what has happened to you Bella."

I turned to look at Jasper.

That blonde hair fell into his eyes, making it harder to see them, but when I did, they did hold sorrow. But not like Alice's, not like Edward's.

He went on when I let the confusion on my face stay.

"For what he took from you, I'm sorry he took your joy away from you."

No one had ever told me that before, when I'd lost my child, everyone said they were sorry. But that was just it, they weren't sorry for all that I'd lost, they weren't sorry that I'd lost who I was,becuase no one saw that. But it was there, and I had lost it.

I smiled at Jasper, letting it grow when he smiled back.

"Thank you Jasper, no one has ever said that to me before."

He shrugged, letting hte grin stay in place.

"Well then, they should have, that must have been a big loss too."

Edward choose that moment to come back in, shaking his head.

"Emmett's going to be stuck there a little while longer. He just can't leave his prescious jeep." Edward rolled his eyes.

"Emmett?"

He smiled over at me as he handed the phone back to Jasper, it was Jasper who answered.

"The eldest Cullen, he'd like you."

Edward nodded with a laugh. "That he would."

I looked up at Edward, still feeling light, my entire mood was light. Today was diffinatly a good day.

"What's wrong with his jeep?"

Jasper laughed. "Nothing yet, he wants to motify the engine, but the people he's working with, they couldn't help him even if they wanted to."

I smiled as an idea came to me.

"Hale."

Edward looked down at me. "What?"

I grinned and looked over at Jasper. "Call Emmett back and tell him to hold off on the engine until he gets out here, I've got the perfect Mechanic."

They both looked a little confused, but Jasper nodded and dialed the number again, he walked out.

"Hale?"

I nodded and made my way out of the room, heading downstairs, it was getting late and Jacob would be calling soon. He would be angry if I didn't answer, as far as he knew I never went out. Fear spiked in me as I thought of what would happen when he found out that I wasn't hiding anymore, but the fear faded when I answered Edward.

"Yupe, don't worry, Emmett will be in good hands."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Alice had demanded that we go shopping soon, I couldnt' get out of the house until I agreed, Edward rolled his eyes again but didn't say anything. I knew he secretly liked that Alice and I got along. But that didn't bother, I liked Alice and it was nice to have a girlfriend again, I'd mostly lost those when Jacob and I moved.

Edward was holding my hand as we walked up my porch steps, but as I got closer to the door, I heard ringing. I rushed inside, pulling his hand along with me. I managed to ripp the phone off the hook and get it to my ear.

"Hello?"

I took a deep breath away from the phone, trying to catch my breath.

"Bella?"

I gulped and felt Edward tense next to me.

"Hi Jake." My voice started to sound low.

"I'm on my way home. I should make it in by tomorrow, I'm going to stop by Charlie's for the night."

Charlie, I felt a pang in my chest as I thought about my father.

"Ok." My voice was small.

"I'll see you tomorrow then."

He hung up and I stood there, staring at the wall. Edward took the phone from my hands and placed it back on the wall. Without words he pulled me into his arms, whispering words of reassurence in my ear. After a while I hugged him back, clutching him as close as I could to my body.

Finally, I found my voice and in two words, broke.

"I'm scared."

Tears streamed down my face.

I didn't want to go back to hiding away from Jake. I'd seen what it was like to be accepted, to have someone who wanted me, just for who I was. Going back to Jake, it seemed like torture, like a payment of sorts, payment for allowing myself to be happy.

"Don't worry, Alice will be by tomorrow, I promise, I will see you. Please Bella don't cry, don't cry when you still have it within your power to end this."

I pulled back for the first time and looked up at him.

"What do you mean?"

He stared down at me. "You can leave him Bella, you can walk away."

I shook my head, closing my eyes, trying to banish the thoughts of that last time. "He wouldn't let me leave, he'll never let me go. He told me that Edward, and he meant it."

Edward stared down at me, those green eyes burning again.

"And I meant every word I said as well."

I didn't need to ask him what words those were, I knew.

I knew those words all too well, they'd become my salvation.

**Tell me what you think, Jacob's home in the next chp. and the rest of the characters will fall in too I promise. You finally got to hear Bella's story, well most of it anyway. **


	5. Introductions

B.P.O.V.

The morning light hit my window soon enough, and with it, a black pick up that I knew belonged to Jacob.

I watched from behind the curtain as he reached into the back and pulled out his beat up old travel bag, from this distance, he looked happy to be home. Fear crawled up my spine as I thought of what was waiting for me, he'd visited Charlie, which always made him moody. I didn't understand why he even went though, Charlie wasn't his father, he was mine, and Charlie wasn't at all too pleased with Jacob and I, he made that quite clear when I got pregnant. Yet almost everytime Jake went to see Sam and Emily, he stopped by to see Charlie. I felt that chill at the base of my neck at what he told Charlie about me. I hadn't seen him in so long, the ache in my chest came back, I missed my family, the little that I had.

Loud thuds of Jake's boots on the porch told me that my time alone was at an end.

I counted the steps he took, it was always the same, three up the steps and four acrossed the huge porch, but he was a big man.

Thud, one.

I was just starting to enjoy it here too.

Thud, two.

I put the folded blanket back on the couch, draping it over the back.

Thud, three.

I walked out towards the front hall, waiting for him to come through the door, where we'd be polite and act like nothing was wrong.

Like he didn't hit me, like I hadn't lost our baby, like we still loved eachother.

But that forth thud didn't come when it was supposed to, in fact, it wasn't a thud at all, but a quiet padding.

The door opened slowly, I felt my limbs become weak, I hadn't done anything yet and he was already acting strange, like he always did right before he'd raise that huge hand. I wanted to see the look on his face when he came in, but I was surpised to find that the underlying anger that always told me when to back off wasn't there, but in it's place, shock. His eyes were on the door, taking in the new stain that I'd given it, well Edward and I. I got shivers from thinking his name.

He looked up at me, his eyes tired and worn but still harboring the young boy I'd fallen in love with, I hadn't seen that young boy in such a long time. The young boy that would never hit me, the one that loved me more than anything else in this world. He smiled slightly and I plastered a smile on my face in return.

"You stained the door while I was gone." The comment didn't hold anything other than his observation, maybe even a proud tone.

I nodded and admired it too, walking forward, it was safe when he was like this, which was rare.

"I thought it would be a good project to keep me occupied. How'd I do?"

He nodded at the door. "Good, really good."

I stepped closer, and without warning, his arm slid around my waist, just like he used to do in high school.

High school sweathearts, thats what people called us, thats what the label beneath our picture in yearbook read, yet, it's not what we were.

Jake had always been there, he'd just always seemed like the logical choice, and when we got old enough, it seemed that he was what my heart wanted too. Standing next to him now, with his arm around me, I realized that we only fit the picture perfect couple becuase thats what was expected, picture perfect.

The couple that was simply perfect, the boy had a great job and not one flaw, the girl stayed home and never cared about her own goals. But that wasn't us, not really, Jake was a car junky, and he had more than one flaw, and I hid away from my world in this giant house, and was too scared to go after what I wanted.

From far away we could pass as that couple still, from a view of someone passing by, it looked like that still, but it wasn't that, and it hadn't been for a very long time. The realization dawned in me and with came the sadness of what I'd had for years ending, nothing but a sadness.

"How was Emily?"

He sighed and moved further into the house, his arm slipped away and I closed the door, but not before glancing acrossed the street, only to find a tall bronze haired man sitting out on the porch in one of the chairs. White whicker, they were simple and elegant, and the one that held Edward was positioned right at the front door, his eyes watched my own. I felt the blush raising in my cheeks and I tipped my head down as I closed the door.

"She's doing better."

He was always short about his answers were Emily was involved, and to some point, that annoyed me. Not that I'd ever tell him that, it was a sure fight and he always seemed to lose control in fights. He was funny that way, he always told me how sorry he was, always told me that I shouldn't push him that much, he didn't know how much control he had sometimes. I'd forgotten what it was like, to not be afriad, but with Edward, I wasn't. I kept a hold of that when I spoke again.

"I wish I had come with you, to see her. I miss her so much, I remember when she introduced us freshman year, you had changed so much."

I let my smile stay soft, let my gaze wonder to his face, and for once, let myself remember who he used to be, not the monster he was. His eyes met mine and I knew just this once, he was remembering too.

He smiled while he spoke.

"I was so nervous, and you were so beautiful."

I laughed and leaned against the door frame.

"You had certainly changed from the goofy kid I'd remembered."

He let out his laugh, it was deep, like his voice had become, and through everything, it's kept the kindness that he once had. That he still had, just not with me anymore, it took effort from both of us to keep things light and easy. An effort that I was just too tired to give anymore, but in light of what I'd realized these past few days, I would try again, I didn't want to remember Jake as angry and bitter.

I wasn't the type of person to want to hold onto those things, I wouldn't draw strength from them to stand strong, no I would shy away, cower when he was spoke of. I didn't want that.

I pushed myself off the frame and made my way to the kitchen, it was still held the dishes from that first night with Edward, I panicked for a moment, but then just filled the sink. The soapy water hide the plates from view, Jake wouldn't know they were from the same meal. I heard him go upstairs and went ahead making breakfast, it was midway through the scrambled eggs that there was a knock on the door.

The urge to get it was more prudent that before, but Jake always answered the door, so I hung back by the kitchen, he came downstairs, just showered, a confused look on his face. He looked back at me before reaching the door.

"You expecting anyone?"

My first reaction was to give him a strange look and ask if he ever let me out long enough to expect anyone, but then there was the house of people acrossed the street, and I only shook my head.

He opened the door and there on the front porch, was little Alice, smiling her biggest smile. Her hand shot out and she introduced herself.

"Alice Cullen, I moved in acrossed the street."

Jake never had much use for girls, sure he was friends when Emily and Leah, and of course he and I were together, but he didn't know the first thing about other girls, so naturally, he waved me forward.

"I'm Jake, and this is Bella, my girlfriend."

His tone darkened on the last bit and I swallowed hard, remembering the night he'd tried changing that, it was back before I had given in.

I'd asked him why the hell I would marry him when he still hit me, it wasn't the smartest thing to do, but it stopped him dead in his tracks. He left without a word, a week I'd had to sneak out, but I didn't, and I suppose that was my mistake, I should have vanished. Gone home and said goodbye to Charlie before going away, finally, to a place I wanted to be, to be free. But instead I was there, waiting for him when he got back, his face drawn and his tone clipped. It was the first time I had dreaded being around him before hand.

It was also the first time he'd hit me without reasoning, without anything to build up to the explosion before hand, unless you counted the fight the week earlier.

"It's great to meet you both, I'm so glad you'r here Bella, I was afraid I wouldn't have anyone around to visit with."

Jake faltered a bit at these words, but something about Alice stopped him from saying anything, I smirked. Jake didn't like me socializing, and we both knew it wasn't becuase he didn't approve of the women around here, he'd seen the size of the fathers here, who stood a good two heads taller than Charlie ever would. One slip about where my bruises really came from and he wouldn't have to worry about Charlie, he'd have to worry about the whole town.

Silence stretched out around us and I took the step forward, ignoring the surprised look on Jake's face.

"Why don't you join us for breakfast?"

She beamed at me and nodded.

"That would be wonderful thank you, I haven't eaten anything much today and I still have alot of unpacking to do. Breakfast sounds great."

She moved past me into the hall, and I turned to Jake, my smile still in place.

His however dimmed.

"Bella," His tone was low and a warning, one that I for once, didn't listen to.

"Why don't you go finish cleaning up and I'll have everything ready when you get downstairs."

He stood there still, the look on his face beganing to bring back the fear. I reacted without thinking of the concequences later on, which should have been first on my mind.

"Please, we are doing so good today, please Jake." I whispered it to him and watched as his face softened.

He still loved me, even if he'd blamed me for the baby, he still loved me.

He nodded and without a word walked up stairs while I took Alice's hand and we both went into the kitchen. Without warning she pulled me into a hug.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner."

I smiled and waved it off.

"Don't worry, he's doing good today."

She smiled, but the expression died away at her eyes, she was only acting like the happy Alice. I wondered what showed on my face, did I look tired? Like I felt?

She went and settled on a stool, one that lined one side of the Island that held a second sink and stove. The kitchen was huge, and after the remodel, it was my favorite place.

"So, my brother might just go insane."

It was an out in the air kind of comment, one she knew I would expand on. I waited only a moment, listening for Jake's foot steps on the stairs, nothing was heard and I grinned over at her while preparing the plates and cutting the last of the fruit.

"Insane?"

She giggled and nodded.

"Of course, once he caught sight and of tall dark and brooding up there, I thought he might have just ran here himself."

I laughed quietly, the thought of Edward being that worried over me made a bubbly feeling in my stomach and a lightness in my head.

"For what it's worth, I can see why he was a catch in the begining."

My head shot up at Alice's comment, a blush on my cheeks, and a small smile on my lips. I was afriad she would have just hated Jake right away, which I didn't want, he was a person, one that wasn't always like this.

I went back to cutting strawberries.

"He's good man, really, I just don't bring out the best in him."

Alice sighed and looked at her hands.

"I wish you would stop protecting him Bella, even yesterday, you spoke like this entire thing was your fault. It's not."

I nodded.

"It's not his either, we're not the best match I'll admit, but he was my best friend."

Her hand reached towards mine and I looked up when she squeezed my hand.

"Not anymore, I'll be taking that post, if you'll have me."

I smiled and nodded again.

"I would like that."

She laughed.

"Good."

Our conversation switched to one about what Alice did for a living when I heard the bathroom door opening upstairs, it had always bothered me, our doors being loud, but this morning it came in handy. Jake lumbered into the kitchen, a grin on his face.

"Smells great in here Bells."

I handed him a plate and we all made out way over to the table that was positioned to over look the backyard through the huge windows. The diningroom was amazing, and I didn't want it to be just the diningroom, never eaten in, so I asked Jake to move the table in there, in the end though we got a bigger one, our little one in the backroom with my paints.

Forgotten.

"Oh Bella, you're food is simply amazing."

Alice put more food in her mouth and I shot her a warning glance, we both knew she meant to say more. Thankfully Jake was too busy eating his share to notice.

"Thank you, I love to cook, so it's good to know that it's not a wasted habit."

She laughed and nodded.

"Trust me, it's not."

Jake laughed.

"No, Alice is right, it's not a wasted talent." His tone was somewhat sarcastic and though I wished she hadn't, Alice caught onto it.

Her look was steel as she stared over at him, I was happy he was eating again, his gaze not on hers, but I wondered whether he would really want to meet her gaze at the moment.

Her voice just as cool as she spoke.

"You'll have to cook for me and my boyfriend, oh and my brothers, they'll be coming in soon." Her grin turned mocking when Jake's head shot up. "Like you said, it's not a wasted talent. I'll see to that."

She turned her attention back to me, I froze in my seat when she had spoken, and still hadn't moved, she was diging me a deeper hole.

"They will be in within the next day or two, plently of time to plan a meal, oh thats right, I was hoping you might be able to show me around today? I have some shopping to do."

I looked over at Jake, who was watching her now, his face blank. Alice took it a step further.

"You wouldn't mind lending me Bella for the day, would you Jake?"

Dear god was she trying to get me killed?

I looked back to Jake, and the look on his face had me puzzled. It was surprise again, he truly didn't expect Alice to push things like this, but he didn't know she knew. He wasn't well versed in good manners either though, and you could tell from the way she dressed, Alice was.

He stood then, grabbing his plate, the lightness in his eyes fading.

"Sure, I have to get to work anyway." He walked around the table, leaning down and kissing my hair lightly. "Have fun Bells, I'll see you for dinner."

I nodded weakly, waiting until he was out of the room to shot Alice a dark look. She grinned innocently, and went on eating. He left moments later, the thuds echoing through the house. Once the door closed Alice clapped her hands together.

"Now isn't he pleasent. Where does he work by the way?"

I sighed and tilted my head back.

"Two towns over, he and his friend Mike have a car repair shop, lots of old cars, today he's going in to work though, so he will be in the garage, not in the shop. It's like their bat cave, they never come out of that thing. I'm so glad he leaves our garage here alone, I mean, his Rabbit's in there, but he doesn't run the shop of of it or anything."

I frowned at the idea of the mess that would have caused.

Alice stood then and stared down at me.

"Well come on then."

I slipped the dishes into the sink and we made our way over to her house, where I wanted to be.

As we crossed the road I could see the last of the black blur that was Jake's pick-up. He would be tired when he got home tonight, so there wouldn't be any shouting unless I started something, which I wouldn't. Alice was listing endless foods that she was thinking of, ones that took most of the day to prepare, so I would be at her house for the day and well into the evening. She was sneaky, I had to give her that, but I wondered if Jake would even let me go, the look in his eyes when he looked up at Alice scared me.

The front door opened before we even reached the porch, Alice laughed when Edward came out, making it acrossed the porch and down the steps within seconds. My reaction wasn't much better, I ran the last few steps and let out a laugh when he lifted into his arms, my arms wrapped around his neck and I kissed him, right there in broad daylight. His hands ran up my back and my legs wrapped around his waist while my hands ran through his hair, finally his hand made it to the base of my neck, under my hair and held me close to him. I laughed when we broke apart and spun around in a circle, I even heard Alice's high pitched laughter and a chuckle that sounded like Jasper in the backround.

"Too long!"

I nodded in agreement with Edward and laughed again while we spun. His green eyes sparkled in the sunlight and I found myself loving the way they watched me, the way that smothering look came into his eyes. I placed another chaste kiss on his lips and Alice laughed again.

"Alright you two! Bella and I have a dinner to plan and I'm the one who went over to claim her for the day!"

I slid down Edward's frame, pleased when he shivered and he looked down at me, his voice low and captivating.

"Do that again and I may not let you out of the house for the day."

I stepped back, a coy smile on my face, I took Alice's hand and looked back at Edward.

"Then it's agood thing I won't," I looked down towards Alice. "where to first?"

Jasper actually threw his head back and laughed, and Alice just smiled over at her brother as she led the way to a shiny yellow porcshe.

"Looks like you've met your match dear brother."

We slipped into the car and pulled out before I got the chance to say anything else, Alice laughed as we peeled out onto the road.

"Did you see the look on his face? Who would have known your a little tease!"

I laughed but the red blush on my cheeks was still noticable. The light feeling came back, but it was a good one and I invited it, this was what it should feel like all the time. The town passed us through the windows, I looked over at Alice in confusion. She smiled and pointed ahead.

"Next town, they have this huge supermarket, I was serious missy, you have a huge dinner to make. You may not have met Emmett yet, but trust me, he'll eat three times as much as anyone when he thinks the food is ok. If he loves it, well, you'll need alot, lets just put it that way."

I nodded and looked back out the window, the silence around us didn't last long though, I could tell Alice wasn't one for silence.

"It's like I know two different Bellas."

I looked back over at her in confusion. She smiled a little but kept her eyes on the road.

"When you with Jake, your quiet, you don't do anything that isn't ran by him first, it's not you at all. Yesterday and today with Edward, you're just, you. I know I haven't known you long at all, but if I was to pick one of the two, I would have thought you were the girl that I met at breakfast yesterday, the girl who ran to Edward today. I just wonder, which is the real Bella?"

I sighed and looked at my hands, which were folded in my lap, Edward's face came to mind, my medow and finally, the woman's words, her painting. I smiled and looked ahead while I spoke.

"The real Bella is free, she paints and cooks and laughs, she's drawn to this man that she barely knows and somehow, that doesn't matter. Thats the real me, and I'm most like that, with Edward."

Alice laughed and nodded, the laugh was light and joyous, it was what a laugh should be. I joined her and we settled into conversation, if only to get to know eachother more, to be a best friend, there were certain things that had to be known. That was Alice's point of view and I agreed.

By the time we got to the supermarket, I was happy and carefree again, it was like Jake was a bad dream. Alice wasted no time pulling me into the store and soon enough we had filled half the cart, and we weren't even to the fresh produce yet.

"So, how did you and Jasper meet?"

Alice was pushing the cart, she kept her gaze ahead, but the blush on her cheeks was still there. I smiled, I'd asked a good one, we were playing twenty questions, except with Alice it's really just asking endless questions, ones that had to be answered in truth.

"He and Edward actually met in New York."

I nodded and urged her on. "And?"

"Well, Edward and I were living in our parent's old apartment there for about a year, it was funny really. You see, I was designing clothes and at the time I was still a personal shopper. One of my clients, Charlotte, she was pregnant, so we agreed to go out for a day and buy her a new wardrobe, she would need it. But when I saw who was with her, I almost left right there!"

I laughed and settled into the comfortable pace we'd been going at, this was life, not hiding away with Jake.

"Well, I couldn't back out, and at the time, I thought Jasper was Peter, so I played nice, but I never addressed him personally, so naturally we were never introduced. Anyway, it was about a week or two later when Edward came home and said that he and a friend were going to go out to the club, just for fun. It was our first time living on our own and in New York, so we went, and as we walked in guess who I found on the dance floor with some other girl." She giggled and rolled her eyes. "I don't think I've ever hit someone that hard, but I was so angry that he would leave his pregnant girlfriend at home and go dance with another girl, I had no idea that this was also Edward's friend, and I mean, I hit him good!"

We both laughed and I grabbed some seasonings off the rack before we passed them.

"So you hit Jasper becuase you thought he was Peter who had a pregnant girlfriend?"

She nodded.

"I didn't expect Edward to be right there, and you should have seen the look on Jasper's face! He was so shocked and then Edward demanded to know what the hell my problem was, so I shouted the whole thing at him, giving poor Jazz dirty looks the whole time. But that wasn't the worst of it, no, when I was done, they both started laughing, I mean clutching their sides and bending over to catch their breath. Asses, the pair of them."

She shook her head but the smile was still there and in her voice. I couldn't help it, I laughed too.

"You mean that you actaully hit Jasper and you hadn't technically ever met him?"

She blushed again and nodded.

"I didn't know that he wasn't Peter in my defense! God, I ran out of there so fast, I wouldn't talk to Edward and every time Jasper was around I was either in my room of gone. It took a month for him to actually talk without me leaving. He thinks it's the best story still, he and Edward get a kick out of that one all the time."

We were quiet for a moment, there was one question I wanted to ask, but I was still too scared.

"What about you and Jake, how did you two meet?"

I sighed and looked around at the fruits, choosing them with care while I told her the story that used to hold so much importance to me.

"Through a friend, freshman year of high school. We were high school sweathearts you could say, they even took our picture like that for the yearbook senior year. I guess it's just always been Jake and I."

She nodded and looked away, I didn't want to talk too much about Jake, she always seemed to get sad, so I blurted out the one thought that had been on my mind since we started this game.

"Has Edward ever been in a serious relationship?"

Her head whipped back to me and I felt the blush in my cheeks as I spun around to get more fruit, moving right along to the lettece when I was done, still not looking at her. After a few more moment of silence she spoke.

"Not like you, no. There was one, Tanya, they were together for a while, a few years, but in the end, it just wasn't what he wanted. She was nice, and had liked Edward for the longest time, I was happy for them, but he didn't seem happy, not like he is when you are with him. To be perfectly honest Bella, "She took a deep breath and I stopped putting carrot into a bag and looked over at her, her face was thoughtful while she spoke of him. "he has never let anyone claim his heart with such power, and though you may not believe that, it's true. I've never seen him like this, he's always been a restless person you could say, but there was never a person who could soothe him, until you came along."

She beamed at me while I slowly dropped the bag into the cart. Birght and bubbly Alice was back, and I couldn't help but feel light and happy again too.

"How do you feel about him?"

I bit my lip, trying to hide the smile, but she saw anyway.

"That good huh?"

I laughed and picked out potatos.

"I've never met anyone like Edward, and I don't thing I ever will."

When I would say anymore she just sighed and laughed. Without pause she moved onto the next topic while I floated along on cloud nine, and it was like for the whole afternoon, there wasn't any fear in the back of my mind, no upset stomachs no headaches and no bruises to be covered.

I was free.

**It's short I know, but next chp. won't be! I promise, tell me what you think, I hope you enjoyed Alice and Jasper's tale of how they came to be, I thought it was funny. It seems like a very Alice thing to do. **


	6. Break

Stinging pain, acrossed my cheek.

I couldn't comprehend it at first, I'd done nothing wrong. I hadn't said anything wrong, I hadn't gotten into a fight, I made him dinner, I was home before he was.

There was nothing to hit me for, and he knew it.

It was all right there in his face, he knew what he'd done was so much worse than any other time before.

His hand stayed at his side as he stared in horror at the bruising skin on my face, at the swollen side of my lip and the broken skin on my cheek. I only stood there, watching him, it occured to me that I should have been shocked. But I wasn't, and I was tired of lying to myself about him.

I missed Jake, but I didn't love him.

"Bella, I...."

I looked down at the table, the plate of food untouched, my plate.

I rarely ate with him anymore, my stomach always in knots.

It lifted with ease in my hands and I turned towards the kitchen, leaving Jake standing there, staring at the spot where I'd stood only a moment ago. The sink was half way filled when I heard his foot steps coming into the kitchen. He set the plate beside me, but stayed right there.

Normally he would disspear afterwards, only stopping to look at me a few days later, when the bruises had faded enough that he could pretend it never happened. Part of me knew I should say something, and more of my mind thought of what Edward would do to Jake.

I wouldn't hide these marks away to try and lighten Jake's guilty mind, I was done making things easy for him. That, at least, I could do.

"I'm just so angry sometimes Bella, I don't know what comes over me." His voice was nothing more than a whisper, but it sounded so loud in the silence.

I didn't speak and he went on.

"I have to leave town for a few days, meeting a potenial cilent."

I nodded and took his plate to clean, his hand caught mine and I went rigid.

"I'm so sorry Bells, please, I really am."

Anger spilled over at his words, he was sorry he hit me, yet he kept doing it?

"Please, say something."

I looked up at him and took my hand back with force, surprise splattered acrossed his face, I took the moment to tell him exactly what I wanted.

"Just get the hell out of here, don't come back before the bruises are gone."

He took a few steps back and I turned back towards the sink, grabbing the edge of the counters while I tried to calm myself down.

"Bells," His broken whisper did nothing for my temper, which had choosen now to bring back three years of anger and I snapped.

"Get out of the house Jacob Black, before you hit me again."

I'd never seen him move that fast, but within moments the front door slammed and he was gone, his truck roaring to life and the tires screeching as he peeled out onto the road. Tears dripped slowly down my face as I stood, listening to the sudden silent evening I'd created.

He'd hit me when I said I'd had a good time with Alice today, his hand had almost knocked me down, and if the table hadn't been there I would have been on the ground. The room had been spinning for a moment as I tried to back up, using the edge of the table for support, until I was at my end, away from him. The anger had died away though, and all that was left was the horrible guilt on his face at what he'd done.

Like he couldn't control himself anymore, but then, could he ever control his anger?

I knew the answer to that question, it had been whispered all the time while we were growing up. His stomping, his long walks in the forest when his father and him faught. It was never to clear his head, like I'd talked myself into thinking.

I turned around and slid down to the ground, biting my lip, trying to keep from crying out at how stupid I was, trying not to remember all the times I should have trusted my gut feelings about Jake.

But those memories came back anyway, and soon enough, I was emersed in them.

_His bed was warm, and like always, it smelled just like him, but for once, that didn't make me feel safe. _

_Not after what I'd just realized. _

_I was pregnant, and Jake had been perfect about it._

_But I didn't want perfect, I was scared of this perfect._

_"This is great Bella, now we don't have to wait, we can be together. No one can take you away from me now."_

_I gripped the pillow tighter, it wasn't as if art school would take me away from him, I didn't care that Charlie thought I should give myself the time to be free while I was away at art school. Jake was my rock, and I couldn't just leave him like that, but, the way he'd spoken about me being taken away from him._

_The chill I felt had nothing to do with the drafty wind coming up from the shore. It was his words, his horrible words. _

I sucked in air as I tried to calm myself, but it wasn't working. This wasn't what I wanted, it never had been, but I was too afraid to tell myself that, because then, all these years would have been me wasting away, trapped within this horrible nightmere. I pulled myself up, I couldn't do this, I couldn't let myself fall back into that dark place where I was numb. I couldn't stand this anymore, not here.

Not like this.

My steps were unsteady, but soon enough, I was outside and running acrossed the street with everything I had left in me.

The volvo was there, as was the porshe and the motorcycle, I rushed up the stairs, only stopping for a moment when a confused and then horrified Alice opened the door.

"Oh god Bella, are you ok?!"

I pushed past her and into the foyer, taking in air in gulps are I pushed out the words.

"Where's Edward?"

She pointed out towards the deck and I took off down the hall, I could hear her following, calling out to me.

"Bella!? Bella?!"

The french doors were opened already and I slipped out onto the deck, stopping only when I saw his broad shoulders, his back to me while he leaned on the railing. My legs carried towards him while I spoke him name, making him turn towards me, his face becoming horrified too when he saw me.

"Bella? Oh my god, Bella are you ok?!"

He closed the space between us and held me to him while I hugged him back, but when he tightened his grip I pulled away.

Hurt crossed his face.

"Let's go."

His face became puzzled and I rolled my eyes as I took his hand and started to pull him towards the doors, I vaguely noticed Alice standing there, tears running down her face.

"Leave, come on, we can go anywhere you want, lets just go."

He shook his head and tried to pull me back to him. "Bella, whats going on? What the hell happened?"

He was somewhat calm now, and for some reason, panic rose in my throat, I pulled my hand back, taking two steps back from him.

"What happened?"

I shook my head. "It doesn't matter, dammit Edward, it doesn't matter! Let's just go, we can leave, he's gone, let's go!"

I was pleading with him now, and the sob I heard from behind me I knew was Alice, why was she crying?

Edward's face however was still confused.

"Bella, we can't just leave, you know that, I won't let you run away again, I promised you that. Now let's get your face taken care of, and please, tell me what happened."

He was calm, he was standing there and calming telling me he wouldn't come with me.

That had to have been when I lost it.

"What happened?! What the hell do you think happened Edward?! The same thing that always happens! He hit me, he hit me and left, and I'm leaving too!"

Tears pooled in my eyes again and I was my breathing sped up again.

"Bella, you can't leave." He reached towards me and I pushed away again.

A sob escaped my mouth and I looked up at him.

"Why not?"

He took a step towards me, I didn't back away this time, just let him closer.

"Bella, we can't run away from everything, I can't let you just leave. Please, just stay with me, ok?"

He wanted me to stay with him.

Here.

Here.

With all my nightmeres.

The thought pushed me to the ground, I felt my knees give out and in a heap I was on the ground sobbing.

"I can't do this Edward, what did I do? I'm so sorry for losing my baby, but why can't he love me still? What is so wrong with me? I'm so tired, and it hurts so much."

His arms wound around me, he pulled me towards him and I heard Alice sobbing along with me, but I kept hidden in Edward's chest. He rubbed my back, whispering in my ear.

"There's nothing wrong with you Bella, none of this is you fault, none of it."

I caught my breathe and finally asked the one question that broke me, beyond anything else.

"Why can't someone just love me Edward? No matter what."

I heard more sobbing behind me and I suddenly realized why Alice was crying.

I was dying, slowly, but surely, the Bella she would have choosen was fading away again, she couldn't live much longer, not there, not like this.

Even with Edward's arms around me, even when we were free, my prison always came back for me. My cage was always waiting, and I willingly went back, but I couldn't anymore. He pulled me closer, his lips against my ear as he spoke.

"I love you, no matter what."

I pulled back to look at him, and it was right there in his eyes, like my grandmother used to tell as a little girl. A man who loves a woman never needs to say it, its always in his eyes. Edward's eyes watched my own, and held something that Jake's never had, love.

He did love me.

His hands caressed my face, his cool touch taking the pain of the bruises away, and for the first time tonight, calming me. I felt my body sag and suddenly I was too tired to fight anymore. My head rested against his shoulder, I turned my face in towards his neck and hid there, finally safe. I felt him stand, his arms slipping under me and taking me up with him, but I just couldn't seem to lift my head. Alice's voice came from somewhere in the backround, only Edward's voice was turly clear.

"Not tonight Alice, just start the bath."

I looked up at him, the strong jaw, those kind eyes, he was taking care of me, even when I couldn't take care of myself. He took me to the livingroom while Alice dissapeared upstairs and sat me in a chair. He didn't speak as he took off my shoes and the sweater I'd thrown on, which was covered in dish water and dirt from running acrossed the street like a mad woman. His movements were slow, loving.

Reaching out to touch his face was the most natural thing in the world to me. He stilled and finally looked up at me, pain in his eyes, pain I couldn't have there.

His hand closed around mine and held it to his face, his eyes closed and I didn't think as I leaned in met his lips.

We moved together in a perfection I'd only read about in books, only dreamed about as a younger girl, wishing to have the love that I'd never seen. Yet here it was, within my reach, and tonight, I'd almost let it go.

I pulled back and watched him open those emerald eyes, watched as the fire in them cooled and looked up to smother my own. I wouldn't let it go again, I wouldn't question this gift again.

"Come on, lets get you into the bath."

E.P.O.V.

Alice slipped downstairs before Bella could see her. It was for the best, Alice couldn't handle the bruises that were blooming on Bella's face, so I had cleaned them and left her to take her bath, giving her a pair of Alice's night shorts and one of my t-shirts. I could hear Alice talking to Jasper as I made it to the bottom floor, they were out in the back sitting room. Jasper looked up at my enterence, Alice wasted no time crossing the room and wrapping her arms around me as a new round of sobbing took over her same frame.

"Oh god Edward, what are we going to do? We can't let her go back there, we just can't."

I rubbed her back and watched as Jasper nodded in agreement with her.

"I know, I know."

She calmed some, enough to gather herself and pull away. Jasper took her hand when she made her way back over to him, she smiled up at him and he suddenly pulled her close to his side, which surprised me. Jasper and Alice weren't very public about their relationship, I was considered public, yet no one ever needed to see them touching or kissing to know they were together. Jasper's suddenly need to hold her only confirmed that the horrible nightmare that Bella lived in was all too real, and it was now part of their lives too. I sighed, it wasn't just part of mine, Bella was quickly becoming my whole life.

"This can't go on Edward, I could understand letting her go back before, but not now, you saw her face, and you and I both know that hasn't been the worst."

I nodded, Jasper was right, I couldn't deny that. I looked up at Alice, who was nodding in agreement too.

"Would you come with Bella and I tomorrow to help her pack?"

Her answer surprised me.

"Of you can convince Bella, yes."

That was true, I still needed to talk to Bella about this, I wouldn't force her, but I don't think I could stand to have her in harms way again.

We all stood in slience, trying to control the shaken feeling that had come over us as soon as we saw Bella tonight.

Of all the things though, I least thought about telling her I loved her, until Alice said something.

"You weren't lying tonight, were you? You really do love her."

A small smile was playing at her lips.

I nodded.

"With everything I am."

It didn't seem like a big deal, to me, it wasn't. I loved her, I had known that the first night when she fell asleep with me on the roof and I was ready to tell her the next night when she kissed me.

"Edward?"

Bella's voice traveled down from upstairs and I almost left Alice and Jasper without excusing myself.

"I'll see you in the morning."

They both nodded and I left without another word.

I took the stairs two at a time, knocking before going into my room, where Bella stood. She smiled at me.

"Hey you."

The swelling had gone down, her lip was split, but it would heal.

"Feeling better?"

She nodded and tugged at the t-shirt, it was big on her, it was my soccer team from high school.

"Thank you for the clothes."

I nodded.

"So, I should go."

I froze, and without thinking I spoke.

"Stay."

She looked up in shock, then confusion.

"Stay, here?" I nodded. "With you?" It took a moment longer, but I nodded again.

She looked around, her eyes resting on the bed. A small smile came to her face.

"Does it make me a horrible person for feeling comfortable enough to spend the night with you?"

I luaghed.

"I don't think so, but I may not be the best judge on that matter."

She laughed with me, and nodded.

"Oh well."

She made her way to the bed and slipped under the covers, watching me as I grabbed a clean pair of pj pants and heading to the bathroom.

"Thank you."

I looked over at her, she was fine, she was safe, and I realized then that the only time I would feel like she was safe was when she was happy and with me.

"Bella, will you stay with me?"

She smiled and nodded. "Thats what I'm doing."

I sighed and shook my head and turned to face her.

"No, I mean, stay here now, don't go back there. Stay here with me, stay safe."

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she bit her lip and spoke.

"You will keep me safe?"

I nodded.

"From anything."

She took a deep breath and wipped the tears away.

"As long as it's what is best, I will stay."

It wasn't the answer I wanted, but it was enough.

For now.

**I know it's short, but I think it has to be, this is alot to take in for one chp. it's the first time you get a look at what Jake is like when he hits Bella, and you see Bella finally break. Let me know what you think. **


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